in their own words
 |
|
|
|
 I Don't Know If Anybody Has Talked To Her - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 5/29/09 — Friday, May 29, 2009 —  Q Can I ask you, on the Sotomayor nomination, has the White House or anyone here had a chance to talk to her about that 2001 Berkeley speech to see if she might have wished she chose different words or meant to say something other than what she said? And on a related note, do you know if she has any personal reaction to people throwing words around like "racist" or apparently today Rush Limbaugh compared her to David Duke? Is it difficult for her, given her background, to hear those type of things or does she just sort of slough it off? MR. GIBBS: Well, I don't know if anybody has talked to her specifically about that comment. I don't think you have to be the nominee to -- (Cell phone interruption.) MR. GIBBS: That's helpful. (Laughter.) Q Sorry. MR. GIBBS: I don't think you have to be the nominee to find what was said today offensive. And I think maybe the best example of that, Josh, is to look at any number of conservative and Republican leaders who over the past 24 hours have specifically addressed the comments of people like Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh. It's sort of hard to completely quantify the outrage I think almost anybody would feel at the notion that you're being compared to somebody who used to be a member of the Ku Klux Klan. It's amazing. On the other question, obviously folks have -- she's been here, she's made calls. Look, I think that -- I've not talked specifically with her about this, but I think she'd say that her word choice in 2001 was poor; that she was simply making the point that personal experiences are relevant to the process of judging; that your personal experiences make you -- have a tendency to make you more aware of certain facts in certain cases; that your experiences impact your understanding -- I think we all agree with that; and that on a court that's collegial, that it can help others that are trying to wrestle with the facts of those cases. And, I mean, look, there have been allusions to this in the media over the past few days. I mean, if you look at -- let me read some quotes from current and recent justices, or in this case, both. Justice Alito, during his confirmation hearing, referenced his heritage. He said that, "When a case comes before me involving someone" -- and there's some ellipses in here, but -- "someone who is an immigrant, I can't help but think of my own ancestors because it wasn't long ago when they were in that position." Or he later says -- this is not paraphrased -- "You know this could be your grandfather, this could be your grandmother. They were not citizens at one time and they were people who came to this country." More recently -- Q Obama voted against Alito. MR. GIBBS: I understand. I hope that doesn't preclude me from being able to quote him. Q Well, I mean, it adds a little context. MR. GIBBS: Well, he wasn't here for Justice Ginsburg -- wasn't here to vote on Justice Ginsburg, but Justice Ginsburg just recently said, I think quite clearly, in a case involving the strip search of a 13-year-old girl, that -- that she said that some justices seem to ignore the humiliation that might be involved because "they've never been a 13-year-old girl. It's a very sensitive age for a girl. I don't think that my colleagues, some of them, quite understood." So I think that's what Justice Sotomayor was talking about. Q But Robert, those both seem to talk about identity with a certain circumstance, where the 2001 speech said because of her experience she would come to a better conclusion, which to some people -- MR. GIBBS: Well, that's why, Major, I started this by saying I think if she had the speech to do all over again, I think she'd change that word. Q How do you know that? MR. GIBBS: In discussions with people. Thanks, guys. Q Discussions with who? Q What's your people? MR. GIBBS: People who have talked to her. Nominees | Obama Administration | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | Supreme Court | White House Press Corps Labels: Nominees, Obama Administration, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, Supreme Court, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 6:27:00 PM  She Said One Was Better Than The Other - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 5/27/09 — Thursday, May 28, 2009 —  Q To follow up on Chip, briefly, are you saying that there's no racial dimension and there should be no racial dimension interpreted or drawn from Judge Sotomayor's comments made in 2001 at Berkeley -- after she was confirmed both times by the Senate, so the Senate never had a chance to evaluate that, just to point that out -- that there is no racial dimension? Americans who look at that should think, what, if they think that their might be a racial dimension there? MR. GIBBS: I think, one, I think Americans should read all of what she talked about. Read the full article. I admonished April yesterday for her YouTube clip. Read the whole article, and I think there's -- Q There's a larger contextual point there -- MR. GIBBS: Read a couple of sentences past that and we can certainly discuss that. But more importantly, Major, let's -- as I said to Chip and others, you have somebody with the vast federal judicial experience that she has, not somebody who served on the court for a year or less than a year, but somebody who served on the court for quite some time. I think there's a strong record with which to evaluate. I think we can all move past YouTube snippets and half-sentences and actually look at the honest-to-God record of these nominees -- even as April shakes her head. I think even April will do some due diligence and come to the conclusion that the President came to, that we've nominated somebody that deserves -- Q It's out of her mouth. Those were words that she said out of her mouth. You can admonish YouTube. You can admonish that and talk about her record, but she said these words. Q Well, I'm just asking you, Robert -- MR. GIBBS: I understand, but I'm asking -- Q I'm just asking you if you want to offer -- as the White House had nominated her -- something that you believe the American public should read into it or evaluate from that statement that they read that we haven't heard from the podium so far. So I'm just offering you the opportunity -- MR. GIBBS: I'm sorry, just tell me the last part again. Q Something that the White House wants to add to what Americans who may look at that fair-mindedly and say, this sounds to me as if there's a racial dimension to it, and maybe that might trouble them. Do you have anything to add to that? MR. GIBBS: I think it -- I have confidence in Americans reading not just part of, but the whole statement, and I have confidence in Americans evaluating the full depth of her record and coming to an honest and open-minded conclusion. Q In all fairness, a follow to that -- it's not just a racial dimension, but it's a gender dimension. And do you at least acknowledge that she did say these words? You're asking us to look beyond. MR. GIBBS: I can confirm that it appears likely that she intoned both of those sentences, yes. Q I mean, you're spinning it, trying to make us look at the record. Okay, we look at the record. But we're also looking at her words. MR. GIBBS: Can I just say -- and I want to make sure that I get this on the record -- looking at the record isn't spinning you, okay. Q I know, but you're spinning -- MR. GIBBS: I appreciate that -- Q -- what she actually said. MR. GIBBS: I'm not spinning what she said. If I'm spinning what she said, April, then you at least have to acknowledge that you're not understanding even remotely the full context of what she said in that debate. Right? Q I understand it, but I -- MR. GIBBS: No, no, no, no, no. I just want to know, do you believe that in judging eight seconds, or six seconds of what somebody says in a 40-minute clip, you've fully understood and taken into account the full context of what she said? Q You have to look at the context -- MR. GIBBS: Is that a spin? Q -- but, yes, as well, you have to also see the words that she said. You have to have a whole -- MR. GIBBS: Well, I feel confident that if you look at the context and then listen to the words, you, your listeners, and everyone that you talk to will have a greater and fuller appreciation for exactly what she said, just as I hope that people don't take a 10-second snippet of what you and I are talking about and form some larger conversation. Q Robert, some of us have read the entire speech -- Q Thank you. Q -- and we're wondering if you can explain what she meant. Because some of us who have read the entire, lengthy speech -- MR. GIBBS: And I talked about this yesterday. Let me get -- Q She wasn't saying that a Latina woman judge and a white male judge would have equal views; she said one was better than the other. MR. GIBBS: Here's what I believe. I think she's talking about the unique experiences that she has. I think the next sentence -- I don't have it in front of me -- I think the next sentence denotes that -- Q We want to get it. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: I am surprised you don't have it, right, April. Have you -- cue your YouTube up right there on your Blackberry. Again, I think if you look at the totality of this, if you look at the next few sentences, I have every confidence that people will come to the conclusion that -- and again, and look at her whole record. Q You're not spinning us. We're asking you, spin us. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: I appreciate -- Q Explain what you think she meant. Q Thank you. MR. GIBBS: I have done that now -- Q And why there is no racial component to it. MR. GIBBS: -- I have done that -- Q You dismissed Newt Gingrich as not doing well enough at Princeton or doing as well as Judge Sotomayor at Princeton -- MR. GIBBS: I think -- I don't think -- Q -- and all he's saying is there's a racial component to it, and a fair-minded person could read that and wonder to themselves if there's not a racial component. You deny that. I'm just trying to get an explanation as to why. MR. GIBBS: Well, I'm saying -- I'm also saying you should read all of it. Q We have. MR. GIBBS: I think you should look at the totality of -- (laughter) -- let my look denote that I'm casting doubt on what you just said, April. Q Have you read it? MR. GIBBS: I've read most of it, yes. Q And what conclusion do you draw? And what conclusion does the White House draw? MR. GIBBS: That she has different experiences than -- she has lived a different life than some people have, based on her upbringing; that she understands that -- Q And it's okay, therefore, to say that that different life could lead you naturally to better conclusions than someone who didn't live that life? MR. GIBBS: Or you could certainly lead to different conclusions, because we all have perspectives. Q She said "better." MR. GIBBS: Again, look at the totality of it. I have confidence that people will come to a reasonable conclusion on this. Nominees | Obama Administration | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | Supreme Court | White House Press Corps Labels: Nominees, Obama Administration, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, Supreme Court, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 5:54:00 PM You'll Get A Text Message - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 5/22/09 — Saturday, May 23, 2009 —  MR. GIBBS: Good afternoon. Thanks for coming out here a little early -- I've got a meeting with the President, a few of us do, a little after 1:00 p.m., so I'm going to try to practice some brevity today. We'll see if that works out.Let me give you a quick run through of the week ahead. At 6:30 tomorrow morning the President will announce his Supreme Court nominee. (Laughter.) Gotcha! I'm done. That's obviously a joke, but I did love to see that -- if somebody can quickly text me the name of a chiropractor because at least four dozen necks snapped in one direction. (Laughter.) Q If it's quarter to seven it's -- MR. GIBBS: Don't worry, you'll get a text message. It's cool. Haha | Nominees | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | Supreme Court | White House Press Corps Labels: Haha, Nominees, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, Supreme Court, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 3:33:00 AM Because Democrats and Republicans Worked Together (Laughter) - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 2/13/09 — Wednesday, February 18, 2009 —  Q Can I follow up one thought, or try Jennifer's question one more time --MR. GIBBS: Sure. It's allowed. (Laughter.) Q -- looking forward on the Gregg nomination. What can you do differently to make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen again. Does it -- does the White House Counsel's Office need to be more deeply involved? Do they need to ask more questions? I mean, you know, the -- MR. GIBBS: Well, I just -- I'm not entirely sure. You guys ask questions for a living. What might we pose that -- Q Yes, that would be an excellent idea. Get us involved. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: "Are you likely within a seven-day period to come to a different conclusion than the one which you're giving the President?" (Laughter.) You know, I don't -- Q Well, most of us thought he might. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: I mean, I don't know -- I don't know, maybe -- Q "Are you aware the President is a Democrat?" (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: You know, the ten best questions I'll certainly get from you all over e-mail, I'll pass on to the Counsel's Office to expand our process. You know, again, I think that -- you know, like I said, it's hard to generalize over individual instances. You know, I mean, there's been a lot of discussion about, even in today's papers, about what does this mean for bipartisanship; is bipartisanship dead; isn't it just futile or silly for the President to reach out to the other side of the aisle? You know, it all seems somewhat silly to me, the arguments. I think if you look at the four -- the almost four weeks of this administration, and even a little bit beforehand because the President had to be -- was involved in talking to senators, including working with Senator Gregg on approving the money for -- the additional $350 billion for financial stability. That was done with Democrats and Republicans. The legislation the President signed to ensure that if a woman works in a factory all her life and is paid less than a man, that that won't stand in a court of law in this country. And that was done with Democrats and Republicans working together, and the President's signature. The expansion of children's health insurance, a very successful program that will now cover an additional 4 million people, was done with bipartisan support, and the President's signature. And I think when the dust finally settles today, whatever time that is, I think you'll see an economic recovery plan that moves forward because Democrats and Republicans worked together in order to get it to the President's desk -- something, as I've said, he'll sign quickly. And then we'll look forward and continue to reach out to Republicans in a way that moves an agenda forward that works best for the American people. The President is not going to -- the President is not going to stop reaching out to Republicans because one Republican he respects decided to change his mind and continue to serve and represent his state in the U.S. Senate. The President will continue to work and reach out to folks to move the agenda of this country forward. Bipartisanship | Congress | Economy | Legislation | Nominees | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Bipartisanship, Congress, Economy, Legislation, Nominees, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 9:22:00 PM Robert Gibbs' Response to Sen. Gregg's Withdrawal as Commerce Secretary 2/12/09 — Thursday, February 12, 2009 —  Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) announced he was withdrawing his name for Secretary of Commerce today:"However, it has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the Census there are irresolvable conflicts for me. Prior to accepting this post, we had discussed these and other potential differences, but unfortunately we did not adequately focus on these concerns. We are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy.White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs released the following statement on Sen. Gregg's withdrawal as a nominee for Commerce Secretary: "Senator Gregg reached out to the President and offered his name for Secretary of Commerce. He was very clear throughout the interviewing process that despite past disagreements about policies, he would support, embrace, and move forward with the President’s agenda. Once it became clear after his nomination that Senator Gregg was not going to be supporting some of President Obama’s key economic priorities, it became necessary for Senator Gregg and the Obama administration to part ways. We regret that he has had a change of heart."Not to dispute the official White House version of events, but The Atlantic had this out 50 minutes before Gibbs' statement was released: "Sen. Judd Gregg's decision to withdraw caught the White House by surprise. The press office found out about it at about the same time as the world did. If senior administration officials had advance notice, they did not widely disseminate it." Commerce Department | Nominees | Obama Administration | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Office Labels: Commerce Department, Nominees, Obama Administration, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Office >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 6:57:00 PM Pertinent Transparency - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 2/5/09 — Friday, February 06, 2009 —  MR. GIBBS: Jake.Q Robert, two questions. One is a housekeeping one. In the name of the transparency that you and the President herald so much, is there any way we could get the copies of the waivers that the OMB issues to allow certain Cabinet posts or deputy posts -- MR. GIBBS: I'll check on it. Q -- free of the ethics constraints you put up? And also the disclosure forms that your nominees put out that go to the Office of Government Ethics that somehow they're not able to email or put on the web -- is there any way we can get copies of those? MR. GIBBS: I will check. I don't -- I don't know how those forms are distributed. Q Just based on listening to the President's rhetoric, I'm sure it's something he'd want to do. (Laughter.) The question is -- MR. GIBBS: Knowing of your crystal clarity on his opinion, I'll certainly check. Q He doesn't believe in transparency? MR. GIBBS: Did you have another more pertinent question? Q I think that's pretty -- I think it's fairly pertinent here, Cabinet nominees and whether or not they pay their taxes and whether or not they have speaking fees. With all sorts of industries they're supposed to regulate, I think it's fairly pertinent. You don't? MR. GIBBS: Obviously I do, and obviously the President does. Q Okay, well, then we'll move on. A majority of the American people apparently support blocking or making major changes to the stimulus bill, according to a Gallup poll. Are you worried at all that you've lost control of the process on how this bill is perceived? MR. GIBBS: No. Nominees | Obama Administration | Open Government | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Nominees, Obama Administration, Open Government, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 4:43:00 PM Trumping Principles - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 2/4/09 MR. GIBBS: Anne. Q The President talked yesterday in his interviews about not wanting there to be two standards for people, to understand there shouldn't be -- how then should people understand why it was okay for Timothy Geithner to go ahead in his job, but not Tom Daschle? MR. GIBBS: Well, as I said yesterday, obviously Senator Daschle made a decision to withdraw his appointment. And as I said yesterday, Mr. Geithner has gone through a process in the Senate that included passage through committee and passage through the full Senate with bipartisan support and is now the Secretary of the Treasury. So I don't -- Q Is there not a double-standard there? I mean, isn't -- MR. GIBBS: No, again, I -- there's a lot of -- we can look a lot of rearview-mirroring in different decisions, but I think the President probably did what many people don't here in this town a lot, and that's take responsibility and set a very high standard for himself and for this administration. Jeff. Q Robert, as you know, the President -- he said several times in those interviews that he screwed up or he messed up. What exactly does he believe that he screwed up? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think that -- taking, for example, the appointment for HHS, that obviously making health care more affordable is a, as you've heard him talk about a lot for many years, a very important issue to him. He worked on it in Springfield, he talked about it on the campaign trail, and hopes to make a significant impact on that important issue as the President of the United States. He found Senator Daschle, he believed, uniquely qualified to pursue health care reform that would meet many of the goals that he shared, despite making a mistake. I think in the interest of getting those appointments, the President trumped the principles that he laid out in the campaign. And he took responsibility for that. Health Care | Nominees | Obama Administration | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Health Care, Nominees, Obama Administration, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 3:54:00 PM Health Care Taxes Obama Administration - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 2/3/09 — Tuesday, February 03, 2009 —  Q I'm sorry, can I follow up real quick? You didn't quite answer the question. Was Daschle given any kind of signal, yes or no, from the White House that he should withdraw?MR. GIBBS: I don't know how much more clear I can be. The decision was Senator Daschle's. Q No, no, no, no. He could have decided after he got a signal. Did he get a signal -- just say yes or no -- from the White House? You can answer that question, yes or no. MR. GIBBS: No, from the White House, he did not get a signal. Q From anywhere else? (Laughter.) I just -- words are chosen -- MR. GIBBS: You know what I'm going to do from now on? I'm going to have you guys write down your questions so I don't misinterpret -- Q Words are chosen very careful in this briefing room, as you know, that's why I'm -- MR. GIBBS: I don't know how much more clear I can be with the word "no." Laura, please phrase your question clearly and succinctly. (Laughter.) Q I'll do my best. MR. GIBBS: Speak in slow monotone so that I can understand. (Laughter.) Go ahead. Q I don't know about the slow monotone. But Robert, the President and others have spoken of Senator Daschle's unique qualifications to lead the health reform effort. Given his withdrawal, two questions. One, what impact do you think that will have on the opportunity to get health care reform, which was a heavy lift to start with? And secondly, was there or is there any consideration of keeping him on in the White House post, which does not require a confirmation? MR. GIBBS: The President -- well, Senator Daschle has withdrawn his nomination and withdrawn from serving in the White House in the capacity that we had talked about earlier. As it relates to your first question on health care, I think Senator Daschle would be -- and I think he says it, in essence, in his statement -- that much like the agenda that the President has outlined on any number of subjects, the issue of affordable health care for every American is bigger than one person; and the job of ensuring health care reform will outlast any person nominated for the Secretary of HHS and likely anybody that serves in this administration. This a problem that confounds federal and state governments. It confounds families and businesses large and small. We watch each year as health care prices get higher and higher and higher, and more people slip through the cracks, more businesses are unable to afford to provide health care coverage for their employees. We are hopeful to sign a bill this week that closes that gap for children by expanding the popular Children's Health Insurance Program. I don't think the effort slows down for health care reform, and I think Senator Daschle and others would admit that the effort is far bigger than any one individual. It's so important, it encompasses so much of our economy, and we understand that the system that we currently have whereby Americans pay more for health care and get less from it than virtually any industrialized country on the planet underscores that this is bigger than any one group or any individual. Q But given the fact that you now have to start all over trying to find someone to lead this effort -- MR. GIBBS: Well, we have to -- Q -- to be HHS Secretary, you don't think that this is going to put things back? MR. GIBBS: No, I -- no, because I think there are obviously many people in this administration that are working on this issue right now. We're looking for a new nominee, but the problem has existed for quite some time and the work toward a solution to make health care more affordable won't stop or won't pause while we look for that nominee. Major. Q Since you brought up the process with Secretary Geithner -- Max Baucus, the Chairman of the Finance Committee, has put out a statement saying he thinks that if allowed to stay, Tom Daschle would have been confirmed. John Kerry put out a statement saying it was a mistake to withdraw his nomination. Why would the White House believe it's a good idea to disappoint Democrats, who are their natural allies on health care, by preemptively taking away someone they believed could have been confirmed, as Mr. Geithner was -- despite his tax problems -- and they believe would have been someone that -- MR. GIBBS: Major, I wouldn't -- I think I'd address those questions to Senator Daschle, who, taking all of my answers into account on these subjects, made a decision to withdraw today, a decision that the President accepted. Q But it's the President's health care reform agenda, not Senator Daschle's, and -- MR. GIBBS: Well -- Q -- the natural allies of yours appear to be, A, believing he could have been confirmed, and disappointed that this was done, in their view, prematurely. What is your explanation to them? MR. GIBBS: My explanation to them is if you want to know the decision-making process of Senator Daschle, that's the best person to address that question to. Q How seriously would the White House consider Howard Dean for the Health and Human Services Secretary? MR. GIBBS: I've given -- been given many opportunities to play the name game and I don't want to spin the wheel and start today. Q So assuming that Daschle stays in the private sector, will he be able to lobby the administration on health care? And will he be in any way involved in health care? MR. GIBBS: I assume that Senator Daschle's passion for health care isn't diminished by today's announcement. But Ann, as you know, Senator Daschle has not been and is not a registered federal lobbyist; therefore, based on the rules that the government -- stringent rules that the government sets out, he can't lobby the federal government. Health Care | Nominees | Obama Administration | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | Taxes | White House Press Corps Labels: Health Care, Nominees, Obama Administration, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, Taxes, Wall Street, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 9:52:00 PM
|
|
